Starting your chicken coop may not be as easy as you imagine because chickens need to have the perfect and safe house for them to grow and multiply. Chicken coop plans may vary depending on the number of chickens you are planning to grow and a wealth of other factors.

Planning a chicken coop is pretty easy so long as you know the basics of providing a safe and friendly building for your chickens. For that reason, here are some important tips on making your chicken coop plans:

1. Space – Consider the amount of space you can provide for the chicken coop. The minimum requirement of each chicken is about 4 sq feet, thus if you are planning to raise 20 chickens you need to have an 80 sq feet floor space for that.
2. Light – This is very important if you want your chickens to lay eggs all year round. For large sized chicken coops, one lighting source for every 40ft space is enough; while for small chicken coops go for one light source attached above the feeding/watering area.
3. Airing/Ventilation – Chickens coops need enough air to circulate within the area so chickens won’t die of overheating. Balanced ventilation for chicken coops would include attaching smaller sized windows or wall vents that will keep the chickens aerated while releasing the stale air inside. To do this, make sure that the vents or windows are faced against non-windy areas which are usually located at the north and west parts of the chicken coop.
4. Perches – Perches are naturally needed by chickens so if you want to avoid them perching on nesting boxes and feeders, you might as well allocate 8 inch perching space for every chicken you have in your coop. To keep the chicken coop free from dirty droppings, make sure that you place any poop catching materials such as trays or plastic coverings so you can keep your chicken coop clean and green.
5. Nesting boxes – For egg laying chickens, the maximum count per nesting box is 5-6 chickens each. Make sure that these boxes are kept in a dark and comfortable area so you chickens will feel safe and lay more eggs all year round. The depth of the box should have a minimum of 4 inches with straw or wood shavings inside.
6. Chicken Protection – Lastly, keep your chickens safe from all kinds of predators by ensuring that there are no holes or entries for hawks, coyotes, foxes, snakes and etc. Place appropriate wire fencing with a depth of 1 ft to keep any digging predators from getting inside your chicken coop.

Engaging on an egg producing or chicken raising business is surely fruitful and easy so long as you keep them in a safe and friendly house so they can grow and multiply. Thus, follow the tips mentioned above when making chicken coop plans and you will enjoy a bountiful harvest afterwards.

You can get more tips of making a chicken coop here